


Of Course It's Alright

by sapphosoup



Series: trans/nonbinary marauders fics [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Genderfluid Sirius Black, Hogwarts, James Potter is a Good Friend, M/M, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Nonbinary Sirius Black
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:28:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28180926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphosoup/pseuds/sapphosoup
Summary: Sirius tells James that they go by they/them pronouns now.*sequel to "Who You Are, Not What You Are"*
Relationships: Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: trans/nonbinary marauders fics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2135118
Comments: 10
Kudos: 82





	Of Course It's Alright

**Author's Note:**

> hi!!! please read the previous two stories before reading this, or it won't make much sense. this is the last work in this arc (i'll still be adding stories to this series, they'll just be unrelated to this one and the first two). also, this does talk about accidental misgendering in a bit of detail, but it gets cleared up very quickly. take care of urselves <3

Sirius wasn’t stupid. They knew that if they wanted James to use they/them pronouns, they’d have to actually  _ tell _ James first. 

The problem was, they weren’t really sure how to do that. 

Remus had been a huge help with the whole gender thing. He told Sirius about everything he knew from the book about the nonbinary Metamorphmagus, and started brainstorming words other than “boyfriend” to use. Sirius’s personal favorite was dogfriend, but Remus refused to use it on the principle that it made him sound like he was into bestiality. He settled simply with “partner.”

With Remus, Sirius didn’t even have to figure out how to bring up pronouns, because Remus did it first. He suggested the idea of using they/them, and Sirius immediately loved it. They were very thankful for the book about the nonbinary Metamorphmagus. 

James was a different story. They hadn’t been able to catch him alone for a few days, so they couldn’t talk to him even when they wanted to. He was always busy with Quidditch or Head Boy duties, and when he wasn’t, the other Marauders were also in the room. 

Sirius would rather die than have this conversation with Peter in the room. 

But now, with Remus and Peter both gone to Chess Club, Sirius took his chance. 

James was laying stomach-down on his bed, reading the  _ Daily Prophet _ . It was technically Lily’s paper, but she always gave it to him when she was done reading it. Sirius stood up from their spot at the desk and sat down next to James. He looked up from the paper, smiling. 

“What’s up, Padfoot?”

Sirius shifted, getting comfortable on the bed, and said, “Remember that talk we had in the broom closet a few days ago?”

“Yeah, of course,” James said, sitting up straight, newspaper forgotten next to him. 

“I don’t think I got to say everything I wanted to say that day,” Sirius started, “But I talked to Moony—”

“You talked to Moony?” James interrupted, “That’s great! What’d he say?”

Sirius smiled, “He was really great about it. He said that what I’m feeling is called ‘nonbinary.’” 

James nodded. “Of course he knows the word for it, bloody genius.”

“Yup, that’s Remus,” Sirius replied. “Anyways, talking with him got me thinking.” They faltered off a little, trying to figure out the best way to phrase what they were trying to say. 

James stared at them, waiting for them to continue.

“The thing is, I don’t like it when you call me he or him. It makes me feel really weird,” Sirius finally said. 

“Oh,” James said, “I’m sorry! I had no idea.”

He looked so genuinely upset with himself that Sirius just had to laugh.

“What?” James asked, flabbergasted, “Did I say something wrong?”

“No,” Sirius grinned, “You’re just—the best.”

James visibly relaxed. “Oh. Okay. I knew that already.”

“Prat,” Sirius said, shoving him gently.

“You love me,” James teased. 

“Tell yourself whatever helps you sleep at night,” Sirius retorted. 

James laughed. Sirius loved how simple James made things like this. All the worry they’d been feeling before talking to him was completely gone. 

James sobered up, and his tone became much more serious, “Okay, anyways, finish what you were going to say.”

“Oh! Yeah,” Sirius said, “Um, I’d like it if you used they/them for me. If that’s alright.”

James put his hand on Sirius’s knee and looked at them with pure sincerity, “Of course it’s alright. Why wouldn’t it be?”

Sirius shrugged. “I dunno. Pretend I didn’t say that, will you?”

“Got it,” James said.

Sirius smiled. Everything was going to be okay. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading :-) and thank you for all the positive feedback on the previous two stories as well--your comments and kudos make my day !! and yes, remus and peter are in chess club. i think peter probably loved chess and begged the other marauders to play with him, and remus was the only one who ever took him up on it. ((((that's why he betrayed the potters)))) ((((i'm kidding, of course))))  
> my [tumblr](https://illiterategf.tumblr.com/) !


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